Instructions
Know What Markings to Look For
Look for the coloring on the upper side. The color can range from dull brown to a deep, dark brown.
Notice the wing shape. Their elongated, pointy or rounded wings distinguish the cloudywings from each other.
Identify the color of the underside. They have different shades than the upper side of the moth.
Check out the spots. The different species have clear whitish spots or no spots or stripes.
Notice the difference between the hindwing and the forewing. Note any whitish fringe on the either wings.
Know Markings to Identify
Look for the northern cloudywing which has rounded wings with a dark brown upper side. The outer part of the forewing has white spots near the middle forewing and the hindwing has two dark bands. The underside is gray on the outer edges.
Notice that the southern cloudywing has elongated hindwings with a dark brown upper side. The forewing has a large band of clear white spots that are connected. The outer forewing have light coloring and are checkered. The hindwing has dark brown bands that are separated with a softer brown around the edge with a darker center. The underside is dark brown.
Identify the confused and mysie cloudywing moths; you can look for rounded wings. The mysie is a gold-brown, and the confused is a darker brown color on the upper side. The confused has spots on the forewing that are clear and linear with the outer part as a grayish brown color with checkered fringe. The lower part of the hindwing has darker bands of brown with the out. The underside is dark brown.
See that both the coyote and drusius cloudywings have pointed wings and deep chocolate brown colorings on the forewing. The drusius has clear white spots on the forewing. Both have a white fringe on the wings and a dark brown underside.
Distinguish the Jalapus and desert cloudywing, which can both be identified by their dark brown color on the upperside. The jalapus has dark rectangular spots on the top part of the forewing while the desert has small, clear spots. Both have a dark brown underside.
Check out the western cloudywing, which is a dull brown with lighter pale spots. The hindwing has dark bands and the underside is also a dull brown with gray edges.
Look at the mexican and skinner's cloudywing, which are both brown on the upper side. The mexican cloudywing's forewing has large, dark spots on the edge, while skinner's has a white fringe. The mexican has a hindwing with brown stripes, and the underside is spotted black and brown with grayish on the ends.